VFS Global has released its seventh annual sustainability report, covering 2025 performance across environmental, social, and governance metrics. The company says the year combined operational expansion with measurable progress on sustainability commitments.
On the environmental side, VFS Global recorded a 13 per cent reduction in total emissions compared to its 2024 baseline, a 41 per cent increase in e-waste recycling by tonnage, and switched 80 per cent of its electricity consumption to green energy through Renewable Energy Certificates. The company also reports 650,000 trees planted cumulatively through its reforestation programme.
The social figures are similarly pointed. Women accounted for 65 per cent of new hires in 2025, and the company’s workforce represented 165 nationalities. CSR spending rose 94 per cent year-on-year, reaching 37,481 beneficiaries across more than 30 countries through 151 separate initiatives.
On the technology side, VFS Global introduced enterprise-wide governance frameworks for responsible AI adoption during the year, a move that earned the company the Dubai AI Seal, which formally certifies it as a Trusted AI Enterprise. By year-end, the company had deployed six AI-enabled solutions, with at least one in live use by more than 20 client governments globally.
The year also included the acquisition of a majority stake in CiX Citizen Experience, a Brazilian provider of digital and physical citizen services, extending the company’s geographic reach.
“2025 marks a landmark year where our sustainability commitments actively advanced our global growth and drove significant value creation. We made meaningful progress by strengthening employee engagement, nearly doubling our CSR investments, and further reducing greenhouse gas emissions across our operations. Furthermore, by achieving a 41% surge in e-waste recycling and ensuring women represented 65% of our new hires, we have reinforced our commitment to environmental stewardship and to women empowerment. This progress is anchored by a stellar 97.6% customer satisfaction rate, demonstrating that deep societal impact and high performance go together,” Zubin Karkaria, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global said in a statement.
“Our 2025 Sustainability Report highlights our progress in embedding sustainability across our business and driving responsible growth. Our second Double Materiality Assessment marks a key milestone, enabling us to better understand, prioritise, and manage our social and environmental impacts alongside business-critical factors. This approach strengthens our ability to anticipate risks, respond to regulatory expectations, and make informed decisions that support long-term resilience,” Shireen Mistree, Head – Sustainability, VFS Global added.
The 2025 report follows the Global Reporting Initiative Standards and is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the UN Global Compact, and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board framework for Professional and Commercial Services.
